U.S. patent application number 11/573986 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for windscreen wiper device.
Invention is credited to Xavier Boland, Gurdev Orjela.
Application Number | 20090025175 11/573986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34929465 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090025175 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boland; Xavier ; et
al. |
January 29, 2009 |
WINDSCREEN WIPER DEVICE
Abstract
A windscreen wiper device (1) comprising elastic, elongated
carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade (2) of a
flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a
windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade (2) includes opposing
longitudinal grooves (9) on its longitudinal sides, in which
grooves space-apart longitudinal strips (10) of the carrier element
are disposed, which windscreen wiper device (1) further comprises a
connecting device (3) for an oscillating arm (4), wherein said
oscillating arm (4) is pivotally connected to said connecting
device (3) about a pivot axis near one end, with the special
feature that said wiper blade (2) and/or said strips (10) are made
of a superelastic material such that said wiper blade (2) has a
pre-shape with a specific curvature and is deformed when placed in
abutment with the windscreen to be wiped, wherein an at least
substantially constant force is applied on said windscreen by outer
ends of said wiper blade (2) independent of the curvature of said
windscreen.
Inventors: |
Boland; Xavier; (Arlon,
BE) ; Orjela; Gurdev; (Aubange, BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert L. Stearns
38525 Woodward Avenue, Suite 2000
Bloomfield Hills
MI
48304-5092
US
|
Family ID: |
34929465 |
Appl. No.: |
11/573986 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
August 22, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/54118 |
371 Date: |
February 20, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/250.361 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S 2001/382 20130101;
B60S 1/3806 20130101; B60S 2001/3822 20130101; B60S 1/38 20130101;
B60S 1/3879 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/250.361 |
International
Class: |
B60S 1/38 20060101
B60S001/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 20, 2004 |
EP |
04104008.0 |
Claims
1. A windscreen wiper device comprising an elastic, elongated
carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible
material, which can be place din abutment with a windscreen to be
wiped, which wiper blade includes opposing longitudinal grooves on
its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal
strips of the carrier element are disposed, which windscreen wiper
device further comprises a connecting device for an oscillating
arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said
connecting device about a pivot axis near one end, said wiper blade
and/or said strips comprise(s) a superelastic material such that
said wiper blade has a pre-shape with a specific curvature and is
deformed when placed in abutment with the windscreen to be wiped,
wherein an at least substantially constant force is applied on said
windscreen by outer ends of said wiper blade, independent of the
curvature of said windscreen.
2. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the
superelastic material comprises nickel an titanium or an alloy
thereof.
3. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 2, wherein the
superelastic material further comprises at least one third element
selected form the group consisting of niobium, hafnium, tantalum,
tungsten and gold.
4. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the
superelastic material comprises copper or an alloy thereof.
5. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1 wherein the
superelastic material comprises iron or an alloy thereof.
6. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 1 wherein a
stress/strain curve of the superelastic material exhibits a loading
plateau, and wherein an increase in strain over a range of strain
varying between 0.1 and 8% is accompanied by an at least
substantially constant stress at the location of said loading
plateau.
7. Method for manufacturing a windscreen wiper device provided with
an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated
wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be place in abutment
with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes opposing
longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves
spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier element are
disposed, which windscreen wiper device further comprises a
connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said oscillating
arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device about a pivot
axis near one end, said wiper blade and/or said strips blade
comprise(s) a superelastic material such that said wiper blade has
a pre-shape with a specific curvature and is deformed when place
din abutment with the windscreen to be wiped, wherein an at least
substantially constant force is applied on said windscreen by outer
ends of said wiper blade, independent of the curvature of said
windscreen.
8. A windscreen wiper device according to claim 6 wherein said
increase in strain over a range of strain varies between 0.1 and
8%.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a windscreen wiper device
comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an
elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed
in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade
includes opposing longitudinal grooves on its longitudinal sides,
in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips of the carrier
element are disposed, which windscreen wiper device further
comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein said
oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said connecting device
about a pivot axis near one end. The invention also refers to a
method for manufacturing such a windshield wiper device.
[0002] Such a windscreen wiper device is known from German patent
publication no. 101 30 903 (Robert Bosch GmbH), for example. The
prior art windscreen wiper device is designed as a "yokeless" wiper
device, wherein no use is made of several yokes pivotally connected
to each other, but wherein the wiper blade is biassed by the
longitudinal strips, as a result of which it exhibits a specific
curvature.
[0003] A disadvantage of the windscreen wiper device known from the
above-mentioned German patent document is the following. The
oscillating arm of this prior art windscreen wiper device is
pivotally connected to a mounting head fixed for rotation to a
shaft driven by a small motor. In use, the shaft rotates
alternately in a clockwise and in a counter-clockwise sense
carrying the mounting head into rotation also, which in turn draws
the oscillating arm into rotation and by means of the connecting
device moves the wiper blade. A spring is hooked with its first end
on the mounting head and with its second end on the oscillating arm
in order to ensure that the oscillating arm and thus the wiper
blade connected thereto is pressed onto the windscreen to be wiped.
However, in practice it appears that the oscillating does not press
the wiper blade with enough force and/or a constant force (measured
along the length of the wiper blade), that is an even pressure onto
the windscreen to be wiped, with all negative consequences involved
as far as the wiping qualities are concerned.
[0004] It is the objective of the present invention to obviate
these disadvantages of the prior art, particularly to obtain a
windscreen wiper device which has excellent wiping properties.
[0005] In order to accomplish that objective a windscreen wiper
device of the type mentioned in the introduction to the description
according to the invention is characterized in that said wiperblade
and/or said strips comprise(s) a superelastic material such that
said wiper blade has a pre-shape with a specific curvature and is
deformed when placed in abutment with the windscreen to be wiped,
wherein an at least substantially constant force is applied on said
windscreen by outer ends of said wiper blade, independent of the
curvature of said windscreen. In other words, said superelastic
wiperblade and/or said superelastic strips ensure(s) that said
wiper blade is deformable from an original position when it is not
placed against the windscreen to be wiped (for example, when it is
packaged in a package, holder or container) into a working position
when it is placed against the windscreen to be wiped, and vice
versa, in such a manner that [0006] in the original position the
wiper blade exhibits a shape with a predetermined curvature,
whereas [0007] in the working position the wiper blade has a
curvature corresponding to the curvature of the windscreen to be
wiped, while a constant force is applied on said windscreen by the
outer ends of said wiper blade, independent of the specific
curvature of said windscreen.
[0008] As a specific curvature of the windscreen to be wiped does
not negatively influence the wiping qualities of the wiper blade
involved, the present wiper blade can be used on almost every type
of windscreen. Particularly, said wiper blade and/or said strips
is/are made of a superelastic material.
[0009] Preferably, a constant force is applied on said windscreen
along the entire length of said wiper blade, that is from one outer
end to the other outer end of the wiper blade.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device in
accordance with the invention the superelastic material comprises
nickel and titanium. Preferably, the superelastic material further
comprises at least one third element selected from the group
consisting of niobium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten and gold. In the
alternative, said superelastic material may (also) comprise copper
(or an alloy thereof) and/or iron (or an alloy thereof).
[0011] In another preferred embodiment of a windscreen wiper device
according to the invention the stress/strain curve of the
superelastic material exhibits a loading plateau, wherein an
increase in strain over a range of strain varying between 0.1 and
8%, preferably between 0.1 and 5%, is accompanied by an at least
substantially constant stress at the location of said loading
plateau.
[0012] The invention also refers to a method for manufacturing a
windscreen wiper device provided with an elastic elongated carrier
element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible
material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be
wiped, which wiper blade includes opposing longitudinal grooves on
its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal
strips of the carrier element are disposed, which windscreen wiper
device further comprises a connecting device for an oscillating
arm, wherein said oscillating arm is pivotally connected to said
connecting device about a pivot axis near one end, characterized in
that said wiper blade and/or said strips comprise(s) a superelastic
material such that said wiper blade has a pre-shape with a specific
curvature and is deformed when placed in abutment with the
windscreen to be wiped, wherein an at least substantially constant
force is applied on said windscreen by outer ends of said wiper
blade, independent of the curvature of said windscreen.
[0013] The above and further aspects of the present invention will
now be further explained in more detail with reference to figures
illustrated in a drawing, wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of a preferred
embodiment of a windscreen wiper device according to the
invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a detail of a windscreen wiper device of FIG. 1;
and
[0016] FIG. 3 is the stress/strain curve of the superelastic
material of the wiper blade used in the windscreen wiper device of
FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a preferred variant of a windscreen wiper
device 1 according to the invention. Said windscreen wiper device
is built up of a wiper blade 2, as well as of a connecting device 3
of plastic material for an oscillating arm 4. The oscillating arm 4
comprises a arm member 5 pivotally connected to a mounting head 6
fixed for rotation to a shaft 7 driven by a small motor (not
shown). In use, the shaft 7 rotates alternately in a clockwise and
in a counter-clockwise sense carrying the mounting head 6 into
rotation also, which in turn draws the oscillating arm 4 into
rotation and by means of the connecting device 3 moves the wiper
blade 2. A spring (not shown) is hooked with its first end on the
mounting head 6 and with its second end on the arm member 5 in
order to ensure that the oscillating arm 4 and thus the wiper blade
2 connected thereto is pressed onto a windscreen to be wiped. A
spoiler 8 extending along the entire length of the wiper blade 2 is
detachably connected thereto.
[0018] Said windscreen wiper device is built up of said elastomeric
wiper blade 2, in the longitudinal sides of which opposing
longitudinal grooves 9 are formed, and of longitudinal strips 10
made of an superelastic material comprising nickel and titanium,
which are fitted in said longitudinal grooves 9. Said strips 10
form a superelastic carrier element for the rubber wiper blade 2,
as it were, which is thus biased in a curved position (the
curvature in operative position being that of a windscreen to be
wiped). Neighbouring ends 11 of strips 10 are interconnected on
either side of the windscreen wiper device 1 by means of connecting
pieces 12 functioning as clamping members. In this embodiment, the
connecting pieces 12 are separate constructional elements, which
may be form-locked ("positive locking" or "having positive fit") as
well as force-locked to the ends 11 of strips 10. In another
preferred variant, said connecting pieces 12 are in one piece with
the strips 10. In the latter case said connecting pieces form
transverse bridges for the strips 10, as it were.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 3 said material has a stress/strain
curve showing how stress varies with strain during deformation of
the wiper blade 2. The curve exhibits a loading plateau 13. At the
location of said plateau 9 an increase in strain over a range of
strain varying between 0.1% and 5% corresponds with a constant
stress. That means that the wiper blade 2 is able to follow any
curvature of a windscreen to be wiped, while the oscillating arm 4
exerts a constant pressure measured along the entire length of the
wiper blade on the windscreen to be wiped.
[0020] The scope of protection conferred by the present invention
is not restricted to the embodiment shown in the figures, but also
extends to other embodiments falling within the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *